Lonely Ravenclaw
by luna-lovegood's-lover
Summary: Joachim de Grasse OC,tells us about his 7th year at Hogwarts.He is lonely but strikes up a friendship with Luna and even Draco.But between the two he doesn't know which to love as a friend and which to LOVE. Also available in french.
1. Chapter 1

Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling except the plot and Joachim de Grasse.

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First off let me introduce myself, Joachim de Grasse, I am this story's narrator, well my story.

A story that begins during my seventh year as at Hogwarts, but I should perhaps go over my background and the years that precede this one. I am from a noble pure blooded family, but don't be mistaken I am not a blood purity fanatic, a family from Grasse the city of perfumes for muggles and of potions for wizards. And it just so happens that my family is known for its natural talent in the art of potions. But you're probably wondering what I'm doing at Hogwarts instead of Beauxbâtons? Well my parents passed away during my sixth year and i was sent to live with my godmother, Narcissa Malfoy née Black, an old friend of my mother's.

So I moved to Engliand halfway through my sixth year of studying, leaving behind my country, my school, and my few friends to settle in Malfoy Manor. Lucius is not in jail because he switched sides when he realized Voldemort's battle was doomed, Narcissa is relieved and now able to lead her life as she sees fit since their couple has undergone a dramatic change when it comes to power play. And Draco has decided to pursue the studies he had abandoned during the war, he now follows his mother's advice: more lenient when it comes to blood and customs, in that regard similar to her deceased cousin Sirius.

And Draco won't be the only one attending Hogwarts for a seventh year with me, some students having chosen to complete an education broken by the war. Amongst these students is the famous Golden Trio, made up of Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and of course Harry Potter.

Things are looking up for this last year would you say? Well maybe for them, but things are looking pretty bleak for me. Placed in the house of Ravenclaw when I got here halfway through my sixth year of studies, and halfway through the war, I unfortunately did not make friends and I don't speak to anyone, nor do I have a set of close friends like some do. How I envy Potter and his posse sometimes. It must be said that I was pretty shaken by the events I had gone through and that my classmate's amicable but studious nature did not allow me to open up to them. I therefore plan on spending another lonely last year, pretty picture no? Summer's last days are here, we'll soon be in school, and unlike the rest of the population in the age group to attend Hogwarts I am not exactly ecstatic when I think about going there.

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Well here is a short first chapter but it allows me to place the story's context The nest chapters will deal with the last week of summer and the school year through our hero's eyes and in real time (well the majority of the time, we'll see if other characters want to narrate later).


	2. Chapter 2

Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling except the plot and Joachim de Grasse.

What's written between apostrophes ('…') are thoughts, what's written between quotation marks ("…") are verbal dialogues.

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'And another day at Malfoy Manor that does not bide well', thought Joachim. Breakfast hadn't been a very pleasant affair, the Malfoy family being high strung at the notion of doing their first public appearance since the end of the war. But they could not avoid Diagon Alley any longer since Draco and Joachim needed to buy their school supplies.

'I should calm down, otherwise they are going to drive me insane', Hogwarts seemed more and more welcoming as the Malfoy family became more and more irritated, solitude would be better for him than the constant fights between Draco and his parents.

Joachim went back to the bedroom that he'd been allowed to use, if they had to go supply shopping tomorrow he needed to go over his list of needed supplies in order to estimate how much money he would need. Since his parents' death Gringotts had been taking care of his family business and the Goblins only allowed him to withdraw a certain amount each month.

"Damn what an ass", said Draco as he fell on Joachim's bed. "Mother wants you to come down to her office, she wants to go over the arrangements for tomorrow, avoid Father I just managed to annoy him again."

"And you are staying here? I would not let you stay in my bedroom while I am not here Draco." Joachim spoke without an accent thanks to the education his parents had given him.

Draco got up. "Don't worry I would not steal anything, you have nothing worth stealing anyway."

"Come in Joachim", Narcissa gestured for him to take a seat in one of the big chairs in front of his godmother's desk. "We have planned tomorrow's activities. I will accompany you to Diagon alley during the afternoon, my reputation being better than Lucius'; meanwhile he will go take care of some business with the Goblins and will meet us later at the Leaky Cauldron so we can come back home with the floo network."

"I assume we will have to buy everything as quickly as possible? Could I stay at the Alley by myself for a bit? I will be home in time for dinner of course."

"Draco will not be very happy that you are allowed such freedom but alright. Well it is better for him not to stay by himself outside of Hogwarts for now. But be back before height o'clock."

Joachim thanked his godmother and went back up to finish his reading and get ready for dinner; he had to shower, and change. He took his book on numbers and their meanings and settled on the cushions of his bed.

'Maybe I could talk to Hermione in arithmancy, she would be a good person to make friends with, she knows plenty of people and seems pretty open minded'. And instead of continuing reading his book Joachim imagined himself making friends with Hermione then the members of DA that he knew, maybe even the other two members of the tripod.

The next day their outing to Diagon Alley went by without a glitch, and after three hours the Malfoy family headed back to the Manor and Joachim began walking around on his own while window shopping. When he passed by Mr. Ollivander's magical wand shop he decided to get a check up for his own wand.

"Good day young man", whispered the wand seller from a dark corner of his shop. He walked over to Joachim and stared at him from behind his counter. "I do not remember ever seeing you here, and I remember each student that walks through my shop and each wand I sell."

"That is due to the fact, Mr. Ollivander, that I never bought a wand from you. But your reputation being what it is I figured you could have a look."

"Hmm, almond tree, dragon heart string, twenty centimeters, flexible. An excellent wand for transfigurations. An intellectual's wand as well from what I can tell, its temper seems rather docile. And where did you purchase this wand?"

"In Mr. Roubert's shop in France. An excellent wand maker based in the south of the country."

"I see, well your wand seems to be in excellent working condition. Do you want me to polish it?"

Joachim got a wand back that looked spanking new, and left the shop. Mr. Ollivander had lived up to his reputation, his analysis of a wand that he had not made and of its owner's personality were spot on. He kept strolling down the Alley, laughed in front of the Weasley twins' new joke shop's window display; their pranks were legendary throughout Hogwarts. He entered a shop specialized in pets, magical as well as regular. He stroked a few pink hamsters, smiled in front of a parrot that recited spells and their uses, and gave a carrot to a horned bunny with silver fur. But it's in front of a big black Persian cat that he stopped for the longest amount of time. Its purple eyes were mesmerizing, its black fur had bluish hues, and it seemed to be studying each of the costumers.

"Miss! Excuse me but could you let me know if that cat is still up for sale? And if so how much it would cost?"

"Of course, it could be yours for about fifty galleons. It is indeed quite beautiful, but it does not seem to have any particular power. Well maybe that does not bother you, and it could reveal itself later, it is not very old."

"I'll take it; do you have a basket and what's needed for its grooming and food?"

He paid for his purchases and decided to head back to Malfoy Manor. His new friend would be able to get used to its new surroundings before going to Hogwarts.

"But what to call you? You are female so a girl's name, but which? Which would you like? Ah la la, if only you could speak. Carmen? Diane? Giselle? Cassandre? An English name? No, a French one. Astride? We will pick one later, let's go home."

Joachim went back to Malfoy Manor, got ready for dinner, set up his new pet in his bedroom and joined the Malfoy family.

"So, had a good afternoon?" Draco seemed somewhat upset by his own lack of freedom.

'I cannot wait for him to be at Hogwarts with the Slytherins so that he can leave me alone!' Thought Joachim while giving the table, and particularly at Draco, his sweetest smile.

"Very good, thank you Draco. By the way, Narcissa, I would like to let you know I bought a cat this afternoon. I hope it will not be an inconvenience for you, I will bring him to Hogwarts with me."

After dinner Joachim entered his bedroom, picked up his book on numbers and settled in his bed while the cat curled up next to his pillow. They fell asleep close to each other. Joachim was smiling, at least there would be one person, well living being, in his dormitory whose company would be amicable.

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So there is a second chapter, five more days left until they go to Hogwarts.


	3. Chapter 3

Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling except the plot and Joachim de Grasse.

If someone is reading this fan fiction a little review would be welcome.

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The days went by at Malfoy Manor and each one was very much like the previous for Joachim who had nothing to do besides show up for meals. The rest of his days he spent reading or strolling around the long hallways of the manor as well as in the park's alleys. But tonight he had to finish getting his belongings ready since Draco and he would be leaving tomorrow to take the Hogwarts Express to the castle.

"Ariane! Ariane come here." Joachim was looking for his pet so that he could lock her in his bedroom, that way he would be sure to find her the next morning. He shook the box of pet food he was carrying to try and lure her.

Fed up he went back to his bedroom to find Ariane curled up on the bed's cushions.

"Ah perfect, at least Draco will not complain that I am wasting time tomorrow morning. You are here and my entire luggage is ready. So my little Ariane ready to settle in at Hogwarts?"

Ariane only purred peacefully without even bothering to open her eyes to answer Joachim's question. But it seemed to him that she had understood quickly who Ariane was even though he's only found the name earlier that same morning, Ariane fir her perfectly because that cat had been able to find her way around Malfoy Manor quite easily, and that ability had reminded Joachim of Ariadne's thread in the Theseus myth.

He curled up in a ball under the covers and tried to fall asleep, tomorrow he would be headed to Hogwarts and away from the tense mood that was dominant at Malfoy Manor. And this year would be over in no time and he would then be able to build his life. But where? And doing what? Joachim pushed away these unsettling thoughts and told himself it would be better not to worry about it now or he would just torture himself with depressing prospects on his future and the futility of his life.

He slid closer to Ariane, and breathed deeply to relax. 'Let's try to be positive this year will be better than the previous one.' And Joachim fell asleep truly hoping it would be true.

The next morning Draco and he boarded the Hogwarts Express train a lot before any other student. Narcissa and Lucius had dropped them off at the train station very early in order to avoid being noticed, and they had left the area before the two young men had even gone through the magical barrier. There only were a handful of students on the platform, mostly first years eager to get to Hogwarts and their parents rather sad to see their tiny ones leave the nest.

The two youths went their separate ways, Draco heading for the front of the train where he would be meeting his friends and Joachim ending at the opposite end to settle in one of the more isolated compartments where no student would go.

He walked down the hallway to eventually find himself in front of the door of the train's last compartment, and since there wasn't anyone he put his luggage in the appropriate spot, sat close to the window and took Ariane on his knees. He looked at himself in the window's reflection while petting Ariane, even if he would not call himself handsome Joachim realized he was far from ugly as well. Sure his nose might be a little bit hooked and his curly were not everyone's cup of tea, but otherwise he was pretty cute with is well defines lips, white teeth, green and brown almond shaped eyes, his smooth pale skin. He seemed so soft and kind that his face almost seemed angelic and his body was well proportioned even if slightly skinny. Joachim especially liked his pianist hands that reminded him of his father's. He made a face when he thought about his parents; their loss was still painful to him.

'Well you might find yourself cute but that hardly matters. You have never been kissed; others find you repulsive and not cool. So pack up your narcissism and stop daydreaming.' Joachim was almost eighteen and had never been kissed, he probably was one of the few virgins left in his grade. It did not bother him too much though since his biggest worry was not to be loved but by who he would be, his soul had always been romantic and he was hoping to find someone he could forge a real relationship with someday.

While he was thinking alone in his compartment, the platform had began to be filled with families accompanying their children to the train, he recognized the Weasley family bidding Ron and Ginny goodbye, as well as to Harry and Hermione. According to the school's gossip the four were still quite in love amongst themselves, and Joachim smiled upon seeing them so happy to start a new year without having to worry about the war and with friends that would support them while they got over the emotional traumas undergone. But in spite of his initial joy for them Joachim, being human, felt his heart tighten at the thought that he was alone. He turned his head away and closed his eye in the hope of falling asleep for a while.

HE opened his eye when he felt someone's hand shaking his shoulder. The Hogwarts Express' lunch lady, worried, asked him if he wanted to eat so that he'd be able to keep it together until dinner. He bought a sandwich and a chocolate frog and thanked her. Once alone he amused himself by teasing Ariane with bits of turkey making her jump for it, and then he got changed. Joachim still did not understand why the wizarding world insisted on wearing these ample and bothersome robed, but things did not change easily in this world and he sometimes told himself that muggles had a certain adaptation ability that wizards could not even conceive. Joachim took his book on numbers out and decided that by the time they would take to get to Hogwarts he would finish it and he got right down to his reading. But when he looked up again he still had a good hour left until they would get to the castle and not wanting to be bored Joachim grabbed Ariane and went out in the hallway to loosen his legs up. No one really noticed him; the majority did not even know who he was and the others were too busy chatting with friends to worry about him. Feeling even more rejected he turned back and kept his eyes fixed to the ground. When he bumped into someone he hurriedly told them he was sorry and kept walking without noticing that a pair of big blue eyes followed him with curiosity. He stumbled upon Draco coming out of the bathroom; the two exchanged a glance but did not talk to one another.

'At least I will not be bothered, all he ever did at the Manor was complaining.'

Joachim got back to his compartment and sat back in his spot next to the window, at least the scenery would keep him busy for a while. He petted Ariane until the train pulled in the station, when it halted Joachim lightened his luggage with a spell and mixed in with the crowd. Joachim did the rest of the trip in carriage with three classmates; he had landed on Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood, two war heroes that still seemed to have some trouble fitting in completely at school.

'Which is strange, neither one is particularly disagreeable.'

The exchanged the regular polite small talk while waiting for a fourth student so they could start getting on their way. Joachim was surprised to see Draco come on and sit next to him but he kept to himself during the short trip, all the while trying to avoid Luna's gaze which made him uneasy.

'Odd, Draco is not with his friends, or so called friends rather. Maybe he already has something new to complain about? Why does she keep staring at me like that? I take back what I said, there is a reason she does not have many friends even though she sometimes hangs out with Harry and his crew.'

He looked down at the floor, and walked that way to one end of the Ravenclaw table when they made it to the castle. Joachim barely listened to McGonagall's speech and to the sorting of the impressively numerous first years, he ate rapidly and left the table to head to the dormitory. Once there he gave the password to the painting of a priestess from ancient times and went to make sure that the elves had properly put his belongings away and set Ariane up. Seeing that everything was as it should be, he slid underneath the sheets of the bed on which Ariane was curled up, this year there would only be two other boys in his dormitory, Peter Prale and John Baringer, one of their housemates had not survived the war. Tomorrow classes would begin and Joachim felt a surge of dread.

'My last year and after? If only I was not so lonely… .'

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And here is another chapter. I hope you like it for now, if you have something to say don't hesitate. There will be more interaction with other students and more action starting with the next chapter.


	4. Chapter 4

Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling except the plot and Joachim de Grasse.

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Joachim looked over his schedule while eating breakfast, it went along as follows:

Monday- two hours of Transfiguration, two of Arithmancy, an hour for lunch break, an hour of herbology, one free period, and one hour of Defense.

Tuesday- two hours of Potions, two of Defense, lunch, a free hour, and one hour that would be used to test them in one of their classes.

Wednesday- two hours of Potions, two of Transfiguration, lunch, an hour of Charms.

Thursday- two hours of Potions, one of Arithmancy, one free period, lunch, two hours of Herbology.

Friday- two hours of Charms, two of Transfiguration, lunch, a free hour, and three hours that would be used for an exam in one of their classes other than the one they were tested on.

Knowing that Ravenclaw would have Transfiguration and Defense classes with the Gryffindors, Charms, Potions and Herbology with the Slytherins, and that his Arithmancy class included students from all four of the houses.

He took a deep breath when he set his spoon down, a day that started out with McGonagall's class would surely be a long one. The institution's new principal had not stopped teaching her course, and he was pretty sure that what she expected from her students had not dwindled over the summer.

'Well, I better hurry and go grab my school bad.'

Joachim left the Great Hall while most other students were just barely starting to eat their breakfast, but they already had their bags and they had people to talk to. He therefore headed to Ravenclaw tower, breathed the password to the painting and rushed in his dormitory to get his school bag together. Each year since he had been in the schooling system Joachim had enjoyed putting his first day back school bag together with care, thinking that it would be like a trail that would keep him on track and organized over the year. But each year he ended up having broken quills and scribbled over parchment littering the bottom of his bag, and having way more stuff than needed packed in it.

He shoved in his bag two quills, a bottle of ink, a stack of rolls of parchment, a ruler, and of course the two books he would be needing this morning: _Transfiguration-Year 7_, and _Arithmancy, the magic of numbers at advanced levels_. Then he put over his Ravenclaw uniform a matching robe, took his wand in his left hand and hurried out of the dormitory to get to class.

When he made it to McGonagall's classroom he slid in the last row of tables next to the window, his favorite spot. He could see that Hermione was sitting at the front row, with Harry and Ron behind her in the second one. He did not notice straight away that a young woman form his own house had just taken the seat on his right, but a strange feeling made him look up and turn his head in her direction. He was surprised to see Luna Lovegood sending him a hazy look and a faint but warm smile, he answered with a shy smile of his own before focusing on the front of the classroom. But during the two hours, which they used to go over transfigurations they had learned the year prior, he noticed numerous times that the girl sharing his table kept sending him glances out of the corner of her eye.

'She is a Ravenclaw just like you; it would not have hurt you to talk to her a bit.' Joachim was now headed to his Arithmancy class while following Luna with his gaze, she was involved in a discussion with Hermione who was the only Gryffindor who took that course with them. When he entered the classroom he noticed that Luna had taken a spot similar to the one they had shared earlier and she waved at him to join her.

"Here Joachim I saved you a seat, this is where you like to sit isn't it?"

"Yes it is…uh…perfect. Thank you." He smiled weakly to his classmate. "Uh…why are you not sitting with Hermione?"

He saw a flash of sadness in Luna's expressive eyes.

"If you'd rather I can move…" Said Luna with a stricken face. "I just wanted to be friendly that's all, I…I can tell the situation isn't easy for you. But I guess sitting with Loony Lovegood won't help you make friends either, sorry."

"No, not at all. I am quite pleased to have you sitting next to me." Said Joachim with haste, while flashing to her a warm smile he hoped was convincing. "It is just a bit random…and….Well…you know I do not have any friends here so I do not want you to feel obligated."

Luna smiled back at him, and was about to answer when Draco's drawling voice was heard.

"Well, Loony Lovegood and Jojo, what will the rumors say? So what is this? The gathering of the castle's unwanted?" He taunted while sitting right in front of them. "A word of advice, be quiet. I would like to be able to follow this lecture in peace."

And that's actually on these words that the lecture began. Joachim tried his best to follow and take notes but he could not stop himself from glancing discreetly at his table neighbor. In the end it was a promising start, it just seemed odd that Luna would start talking to him this year but he decided to accept things as they came along. The only dark spot of this morning had been Draco's comments, but Joachim had heard a lot more when he was at that Manor.

It made him a bit sad when he found himself alone at one end of the Ravenclaw table when lunch began. Luna was in a deep conversation with Ginny at the Gryffindor table; he looked down at his empty plate, took one last sip of pumpkin juice and headed to switch the contents of his bag with what he would need over the afternoon.

"You left the table very quickly Joachim," sighed Luna while taking a spot on his left this time in one of the greenhouses used for Herbology lessons. "Could I talk to you during our break before Defense?"

Joachim nodded and focused on Mrs. Sprout. 'Why does she want to talk to me? Her behavior is kind of off, what happened since last year?'

When that short hour was over, Luna and he headed towards the shore of the lake. Luna settled aginst the trunk of a weeping willow, safe under its thin, long and drooping branches and its leaves.

"Joachim…I…it might seem weird but I would like to apologize."

"What for?"

"Well, I know what it is like to lose a parent; and I know perfectly well what it's like to have no friends at Hogwarts. But even then I didn't do anything to try to help you last year. It was selfish of me. I don't know why…it was easier to tell myself that you wouldn't want a burden like me, that you'd refuse my friendship."

"Well then, what made you change your mind?"

"One of Dad's articles, about Screolipthates. The weak ones gather to band against the group that rejects them. And since neither of us was really socially accepted I figured it might be worth taking the chance, we both need a friend in Ravenclaw don't we?"

"Thank you."

Joachim was touched by Luna's frank and simple words. Emotion knotted his throat, and he smiled at her. And that is how they forged their agreement to be table buddies, and friends. One and the other talked about their respective summer, a light conversation during which they avoided any issue that could make have pained the other. It was with pleasure that Joachim headed to his last hour of class for the day.

'In the end it really has been the best first day I could have imagined.'

And their friendship was truly established over the afternoon, which they spent doing homework together, and in the evening during a dinner that they did eat at one of Ravenclaw table's ends but together again. Joachim introduced Luna to Ariane during the evening, after sniffing Luna and observing her Ariane released a short purr and curled up on her master's lap. That Ariane accepted Luna relieved Joachim of a weight he did not know he was carrying, his pet had become quite important in his eyes and subconsciously he wanted Ariane to accept Luna.

It was a very happy Joachim that slid under his bed sheets after showering. And he fell asleep in a peaceful night.

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Thank you for following that story. Got something to say? Don't hesitate to leave a review, critics and compliments are accepted as long as things remain polite and attack free.


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